Anaerobic animal waste treatment systems are generally characterized by systems with liners or covered lagoons designed to mitigate smell and odor problems. Other systems include large biogas digesters. Anaerobic processes are very slow and rely on microbial decomposition reactions and processes that break down waste with no oxygen present. In addition, the anaerobic processes generate strong, unpleasant odors. Due to the slow process of digestion, there may be a rapid buildup of solids in the digestion ponds that must be removed and disposed of later. Further, anaerobic digestion does not remove salt content from runoff water.
Anaerobic systems are expensive to construct and may require a large capital investment to treat the effluent from a typical dairy or other farm operation. Often, covers are fitted to an anaerobic lagoon to capture and dispose of odorous gases such as H2S and ammonia. Such covers are expensive and require periodic maintenance.
It would therefore be valuable to provide a system and method for processing waste quickly and efficiently, with a minimum of odor and as completely as possible. Further, it would be valuable to be able to process solid waste quickly enough that solid waste does not build up. Further, it would be valuable to provide a system and method that minimizes both the capital and recurring costs.